Post time: 1 p.m. Lock of the day: Bens Malice (5th race). Value play of the day: A Rose for Raven (7th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 4 ticket— Race 5, (6/1,4,5,6/1,4,8/2,4,6,7/6,7), $48.00.
1 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming: $5,000. Purse: $10,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Shuwa Funga P (Lara, Litfin)119/12-1
2: Boston Wally (I. Hernandez, Rengstorf)124/2-1
3: Mo More (Fuentes, Berndt)124/9-2
4: Peripatetic (Garcia, Litfin)124/6-1
5: The Z Man (H. Hernandez, Richard)119/5-2
6: Lead Off (Lopez, Diodoro)119/4-1
MO MORE is a well-bred gelding that hasn't lived up to his lineage. Drops to the lowest level, has some speed and works have been good since he was gelded. THE Z MAN showed some speed against slightly better at Oaklawn but has been stopping late. The drop in class may help his stamina. LEAD OFF has had two poor starts that have left him in a bad situation in his last two. Diodoro will try to fix that issue.
2 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $13,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Golden Star Rock (Wade, Diodoro)124/9-5
2: Warning Label (Harr, Cline)124/5-1
3: Twilite Liason (Fuentes, Applebee)124/12-1
4: Souper Fortune (Valenzuela, Rosin)124/5-2
5: Braska (Lara, Cline)124/6-1
6: Bold Minister (Hernandez, Richard)124/4-1
GOLDEN STAR ROCK raced evenly in two starts at Turf Paradise this spring with little success. Third start off a layoff and you can't underestimate the Wade/Diodoro team. SOUPER FORTUNE has posted some impressive speed figures but most of them were produced in route races. Can he replicate those figures in a sprint? TWILITE LIASON has some early zip which is dangerous but the barn hasn't won in a while.
3 1 mile. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $13,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Reina Del Sur (H. Hernandez, Rosin)119/4-1
2: Full Speed Astern (Wade, Woolley Jr.)119/2-1
3: Nora's Legacy (Fuentes, Bravo)124/8-5
4: Me Say So (I. Hernandez, Rhone)124/8-1
5: Mom's Pass (Arroyo, Roberts)124/6-1
6: Merlin's Sister (Lara, Bedford)124/12-1
NORA'S LEGACY has two wins locally vs. Minnesota breds and has three races at Will Rogers already this year. Should be fit. REINA DEL SUR broke slowly on the turf before a furious rally last time out. Gets needed drop in class and returns to dirt where she wired a field easily in April at Will Rogers. FULL SPEED ASTERN was claimed last out before heading north from Phoenix. Has tactical speed but new connections are only 3% off the claim.
4 5 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming: $16,000. Purse: $15,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Miss Tater Tot (Lara, Russell)124/15-1
2: Chaos Magic (Harr, Dixon)119/6-1
3: Danzig Star (Lindsay, Litfin)124/10-1
4: Eli's Girl (Valenzuela, Stuart)119/5-2
5: Whiterose Spirit (R. Fuentes, Rhone)119/10-1
6: Apart of My Charm (L. Fuentes, Berndt)124/8-5
7: Missen the Point (Hernandez, Johns)124/4-1
ELI'S GIRL has raced evenly in most of her starts managing to hit the board in five of six. Has upside as a 3-year-old and adds blinkers for better focus. APART OF MY CHARM struggled last year against much better in Kentucky. Takes needed drop in class but this big drop is suspicious. MISSEN THE POINT alternated between the turf, dirt and off tracks last year in Chicago. Might want a fast track today.
5 1 mile on turf. State bred. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $36,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Tri Spot (Barandela, Backhaus)124/20-1
2: Loring Park (L. Fuentes, Berndt)124/8-1
3: Candy Wompus (R. Fuentes, Broberg)124/9-2
4: Gabriel's Legend (Harr, Donlin Jr.)124/20-1
5: Out Run'm (I. Hernandez, Rampadarat)124/15-1
6: Bens Malice (Quinonez, Van Winkle)119/2-1
7: Direct Action (Lara, Silva)119/15-1
8: Bubba Bob (R. Fuentes, Rengstorf)124/9-2
9: Talent and Tricks (Lopez, McDaniel)124/20-1
10: Hold the Spice (H. Hernandez, Rhone)124/7-2
11: Mystifier (Wade, Biehler)124/12-1
12: Vivo (Valenzuela, Bravo)124/6-1
BENS MALICE loves the lawn as his two wins and three seconds in five starts on the surface can attest. Exits a very nice second in a Tampa Bay stakes race and still has upside as a 3-year-old. DIRECT ACTION may have the controlling speed going from a sprint to route. Tries turf for the first time and is bred to adore it. HOLD THE SPICE will be coming from way back so will need a hot pace in front of him.
6 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $4,000. Purse: $11,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Spirit Mission (Garcia, Jimenez)124/15-1
2: Where's Jordan (Bridgmohan, Miller)124/9-2
3: Chicory Blue (Lara, Litfin)124/10-1
4: Marden (Conning, Woolley Jr.)124/3-1
5: Andreas (Valenzuela, Rosin)124/6-1
6: Most Sandisfactory (Hernandez, Diodoro)124/2-1
7: Yak (Arroyo (Rarick)124/10-1
8: Side Street Dave (Harr, Sanderson)124/12-1
9: Unbroken Song (Quinonez, Litfin)124/15-1
MOST SANDISFACTORY is third off the layoff for the dangerous Diodoro barn and drops substantially in class. Will try to regain that impressive 2021 form. MARDEN sure likes to win with seven wins in 26 starts. Woke up last out with Conning aboard to win easily. SPIRIT MISSION may try to rocket to the lead and dare them to come and catch him.
7 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $20,000. Purse: $32,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Calibrate (R. Fuentes, Rosin)124/9-2
2: Devil Vision (Harr, Stuart)122/10-1
3: Twoko Bay (Wade, Scherer)122/12-1
4: A Rose for Raven (Lopez, Raven)122/6-1
5: Kid's Inheritance (L. Fuentes, Berndt)122/8-1
6: Seeking Refuge (Garcia, Jimenez)122/15-1
7: Irish Declaration (Lara, Litfin)122/20-1
8: Zumurudee (H. Hernandez, Woolley Jr.)122/3-1
9: Dr Jack (Valenzuela, Rosin)124/5-1
10: Treasure Run (I. Hernandez, Rarick)122/20-1
11: Pintxos (Lindsay, Van Winkle)122/20-1
12: Two by Two (Quinonez, Rengstorf)122/8-1
A ROSE FOR RAVEN returns to the oval where he captured two wins last summer in rather easy fashion. Will be prominent early but is versatile enough to get the lead or stalk the pace. ZUMURUDEE participated in stakes races in last two and won a nice optional claiming before that at Turf Paradise. Drops in class and up for a tag. CALIBRATE raced in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile just 18 months ago. Nice win last out and is well bred for the grass.
8 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $12,500. Purse: $31,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Bayou Colonel (R. Fuentes, Rengstorf)122/12-1
2: Stormin Hongkong (L. Fuentes, Richard)122/2-1
3: Name Rejected (Valenzuela, Flores)122/8-1
4: Doctor K (Quinonez, Padilla)122/5-1
5: Give Em Heck Beck (Hernandez, Silva Jr.)122/12-1
6: Lonely Private (Wade, Diodoro)122/7-2
7: Sea to Success (Chirinos, Robertson)122/3-1
STORMIN HONGKONG should be able to get a good trip with multiple horses wanting to get the lead early. If he can sit behind the speed, relax and make one late run, he may visit the winner circle. SEA TO SUCCESS start for the Chirinos/Robertson team which is hitting at 36% and had races last fall in California that would win this. LONELY PRIVATE was claimed last out by Diodoro at Oaklawn which usually results in an immediate improvement.
9 7½ furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $75,000. Purse: $35,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Saint Charles (Lopez, Biehler)119/15-1
2: Pure Rocket (Wade, Williams)119/9-2
3: The Green Crusader (I. Hernandez, Berndt)119/5-1
4: Lochmoor (Harr, Riecken)119/6-1
5: Next Journey (H. Hernandez, Wong)119/8-1
6: Chrome King (Garcia, M. Hernandez)119/2-1
7: City At Night (Lara, M. Hernandez)119/3-1
CITY AT NIGHT has already proven his affinity for the turf with a win and three seconds. Will use the outside post to see how the race develops and then use his versatile running style to attack when needed. CHROME KING is the "other" Hernandez in the race but prefers to come from behind so may have to run down his barn mate. NEXT JOURNEY starts for the high percentage Wong barn and has a nice turf victory already under his belt.
